Photovoltaics market outlook until 2016

The European Photovoltaic Industry Association assesses the European and global markets for PV in 2011 and presents forecasts for the next five years.

Photovoltaics represent, after hydro and wind power, the third most
important renewable energy in terms of globally installed capacity. The
growth rate of PV during 2011 reached almost 70 percent, an outstanding
level among all renewable technologies, according to the European
Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA).

In its latest report, entitled “The Global Market Outlook for Photovoltaics until 2016",
EPIA assesses the European and global markets for PV in 2011 and
presents forecasts for the next five years. It is based on an internal
analysis of data from industry members, national associations,
government agencies and electric utilities.

Report's main findings for 2011 include:•
29.7 GW of PV systems were connected to the grid in 2011, up from 16.8
GW in 2010; PV is now, after hydro and wind power, the third most
important renewable energy source in terms of globally installed
capacity

• 21.9 GW were connected in Europe in 2011, compared to
13.4 GW in 2010; Europe still accounts for the predominant share of the
global PV market, with 75 percent of all new capacity in 2011

• Italy
was the top market for the year, with 9.3 GW connected, followed by
Germany with 7.5 GW; Italy and Germany accounted for nearly 60 percent of
global market growth during the past year

• China was the top non-European PV market in 2011, with 2.2 GW installed, followed by USA with 1.9 GW

•
The number of markets achieving more than 1 GW of additional PV
capacity during 2011 rose from three to six: Italy, Germany, France,
China, Japan, USA.

Click on image to access the full report.

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